Show Whooping Crane Spotted on Federal Refuges Migration of the rare whoop ing cranes from the far north to their winter home on the Ar- Ar Aransas Aransas ansas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast is now in full swing AT LAST count nine of the huge white birds had arrived safely at Aransas according to Refuge Manager Bob Shields On October 31 two adults and andone andone one young bird were observed on the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas On November r 1 these same three birds had moved on south to the Quivira Refuge also in Kansas On November 3 this traveling trio were resting on the Salt Plains National Wild Wild- Wildlife life Refuge near Jet Okla where one lone whooper had hadi i been seen on October 6 THE REPEATED sightings of the rare on refuges operated by the Department of the Interior wildlife agency again points up the importance of the National Wildlife Refuge system to the cranes in their flight for survival two Thirty adults went north last spring They nest only on the Wood Buffalo National Park Canadas Canada's largest park and win win- winter winter ter on the Aransas Refuge near the village of Austwell Texas As additional four birds two young and two adults were seen last week on the ers ems of McConaughy Reservoir in western Nebraska and are presumed to be to Ar ansas at the present time The cranes are the largest white birds in America having havinga a wingspread of over seven feet Hunters are cautioned to leave all large white long legged birds strictly along as any bird that would fit this description is protected by both state and fed fed- federal eral law |